Recovery Is Rarely Linear
by FF2DaDerp
Summary: Rex expected to disappear after Emmet refused to become him. And then he didn't. None of them knew how it happened, but Emmet kept him from disappearing. Now, Rex is stuck in Syspocalypstar, and starting to realize just how much of a lie "no regrets" was, and just how much he may need to change how he handled Undar. ...As much as he absolutely hates to admit to it.


"It's over, Rex. Emmet's never going to be you… But you can be like him. You don't have to be the bad guy."

"You can join us!"

Rex stood up, shaking his head.

"I-I can't.."

The other two watched, confused.

"What do you mean?" Emmet asked.

Rex shrugged, pointing at Lucy.

"She came back for ya, _you're _never going to turn out like _me_, which means….," Rex grimaced, "I'm… Never going to exist..."

"Wait- Wait no-"

Before Emmet could finish, Rex's left hand began to vanish, his arm following shortly after.

He held it up to look at it, laughing.

"_Look!_ I knew it! Look, I'm Back To The Future-ing!" As Rex finished his sentence, his hand was gone.

"Totally called it."

And now, his arm was gone.

Emmet looked at him, visibly confused.

"What's Back To The Future-ing?"

"It's a classic movie older kids get to watch," Rex explained, while his right leg disappeared, his expression and voice giving away any pain he might've attempted to hide, "and now it's happenin' to me."

"Come on! Take our hand, while you still have a hand to take!" Emmet held his hand out for Rex. Rex might've hurt him, but he didn't want him to just disappear…

Rex looked at Emmet, almost as if considering the offer, then shook his head.

"That ain't how it works, kid…"

"Rex…"

He laughed.

"It's okay. ...I'm prou-"

"No!"

Rex froze, looking at Emmet in surprise.

Emmet had grabbed his hand? ….Hadn't he heard him? That wouldn't work. Time travel _didn't _work that way.

"Wh-What….?"

"I said _no. _I'm not going to let you just disappear!"

"Emmet… Come on. It isn't going to work… Even if… Why bother? Did you forget what I just tried to do, or somethin'?"

"Well... You might've done something bad, but that doesn't mean you deserve to disappear forever."

Emmet smiled.

"You said your friends abandoned you, right?"

"...So?" Rex asked, trying to pull his hand back, and step away from him.

"So just because they did… Doesn't mean we will." Lucy finished, joining Emmet in holding onto Rexs hand.

"...I-I don't…."

And again, before Rex could finish what he was saying, he was interrupted.

"Rex! Look, your leg!"

"Hm?"

Rex looked down at his left leg, which had started to disappear when Emmet had first interrupt him.

It was fading back.

"..._What the-?_"

He watched as the rest of himself started to re-appear.

He was _sure_ it wouldn't work. There was no way he could exist, if Emmet wouldn't become him.

And yet...

He barely noticed as the others let his hand go.

Slowly, his right leg and left arm began to reappear.

"_How…..?_"

He held his hand back up, watching as it faded back.

He didn't disappear… He didn't die…..

"Well, Rex? What do you say now?"

Emmet smiled, holding his hand back out.

"You don't have to be the bad guy anymore."

"I… Uh…"

* * *

"Head back to the ship and bring it here."

Rex sighed, watching the raptors follow what he had said.

"Wyldstyle! Emmet! You guys are okay!"

Lucy and Emmet waved at the Duplo girl who approached them.

"I'm so glad!" She added, happily.

"Are _you _okay, Mayhem?" Lucy asked.

Sweet Mayhem nodded.

"Yeah, I'm okay, too! We all are!"

"That's great!"

"It i- ...Wait a sec. Isn't that the person you told us to stop? Didn't you say he was the bad guy?" Mayhem pointed at Rex, who proceeded to look away from the others, "Why is he with you guys?"

"Well…. It's a bit of a long story… ...Right now, I think we should focus on getting back.. ….I can tell you later." Lucy explained.

"Oh.. Well, alright!"

Lucy smiled, looking over at Emmet and Rex.

"We can make some more room for you guys if you'd like."

"Oh, that'd be great! Thanks, Lucy!"

"Yeah…. ...Though, where should I have the raptors take-?"

"They can just follow us! Right, Lucy?" Emmet replied, cheerfully.

"Right. ….Come on, guys. We should head home now."


End file.
